Like the center of a cloudless sky,
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
Jamgon-Kongtrul-Cloudless-Sky
No pan of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
Distributed in the United States by Random House, Inc. , and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd
LIBRARY OP CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Kongtrul, Jamgon, 1954-
Cioudless sky: the Mahamudra path of the Tibetan Kagyu Buddhist School/ Jamgon Kongtrul; edited and translated from Tibetan into German by
Tina Drasczyk and Alez Drasczyk; English translation by Richard Gravel.
p. em.
Includes bibiographical references.
ISBN 0-87773-694-4
ISBN 1-57062-604-9
1. Mahamudra (Tantric rite). 2. Meditation-Bka'-rgyud-pa (Sect).
I. Drasczyk, Tina. BQ7679. 6. K66 1992 294. 3'443--dc20
II. Drasczyk, Alex.
III. Tide.
Frontispiece photo: Blair Hansen BVG01
92-50119 CIP
? Dedicated to His Holiness
the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa
? Contents
Foreword ix Pre/ace xi
THE VAJRA SONG OF THE
FIRST JAMGON KONGTROL RINPOCHE 1
COMMENTARY BY THE
THIRD }AMGON KONGTROL RINPOCHE
Introduction 13 Ground Mahamudra 20 Path Mahamudra 37
Fruition Mahamudra Questions and Answers 79
Appendixes
1. ABriefBiographyofHisEminence Jamgon Kongtrii. l Rinpoche 105
2. Supplication of the Kagyii Gurus 115 Glossary 121
? vii?
71
? Foreword
During the October 1987 visit of His Eminence Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche to various Kagyii centers in Austria, a seminar was held in the mountains near Salzburg. The sub- ject of the seminar was a vajra song which originally had been sung by Lodro Thaye, the first Jamgon Kongtriil Rin- poche, as a spontaneous expression of mahamudra experi- ence. This song is part of the Kagyii Gurtso} the "Ocean of Songs of the Kagyiis. " Using the vajra song as a starting point, H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche presented both an overview of mahamudra, the heart of the Kagyii teachings, and some very practical advice for those who wish to tread upon the mahamudra path.
In view of the interest expressed by a great number of people in obtaining these instructions, we consulted H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche and decided to publish the talks in the form of a book in order to provide insight into the treasury of mahamudra teachings and their unbroken trans- mission by the Kagyii lineage. It is important to stress, how- ever, that the actual practice of mahamudra requires oral instructions from a teacher who is part ofan authentic trans-
mission lineage.
Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to
H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche for the teachings con-
? ix.
? ? ? ? Foreword ? . .
tained in this book and for his boundless activity. In addi- tion, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the preparation of this book.
By the inspiration of the Kagyii lineage, may the realiza- tion of mahamudra be speedily accomplished. May all be- ings enjoy the happiness they long for.
Tina Drasa. yk and Alex Drasa. yk
? x?
? Preface
When receivingorreadingteachingsitisimportantalways to maintain a completely pure inner attitude. In this regard, there are three errors to be avoided, which can be likened to three types of vessels.
The first error is not paying attention; this is like an up- side-down vessel, into which no liquid can be poured. The second error is not committing the meaning to memory; this is like a vessel with a hole in the bottom, which cannot retain the liquid poured into it. The third error is being distracted by conflicting emotions; this is like a vessel containing poi- son, which will contaminate the liquid.
One should strive to be free from these errors and culti- vate the pure attitude of bodhichitta, the mind of enlight- enment.
]amgon Kongtriil Rinpoche
? xi?
? The Vajra Song ofthe
First ]amgiin Kongtriil Rinpoche
The illustrious one, Vajradhara,
Who is said to possess the eight good qualities,
Is seen in human form by ordinary men like us.
You are the refuge called Padma, endowed with blessings. From the eight-petaled lotus dome of my heart,
I supplicated you not to be separate even for an instant. Though I did not have the good fortune of realization and
liberation at once,
I was blessed with just recognizing my own nature.
Therefore, concern for the eight worldly dharmas diminished,
And I clearly saw the famous luminous dharmakaya By mixing my mind with the guru's.
I discovered noflthought in the midst of discursive
thought,
And within nonconcept, wisdom dawned.
Now, with the joyous appreciation of a lineage son of the
Takpo buddha,
I am inspired to speak out.
In the west, in Uddiyana, the secret treasure ground ofthe dakinis,
. 1.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG ? ? ?
The great siddha Tilo
Opened the treasure of the three gems.
In the north, in the hermitage of Ravishing Beautiful Flowers,
The learned Mahapandita Naro
Showed the mark of a siddha, indivisible prana and mind.
In the south, in the land of herbs, the valley of Trowo, The translator, emanated from Hevajra,
Established the source of the river of all siddhas.
In the west, in the Lachi snow range,
The supreme being, Shepa Dorje, Attained the state of unity in one lifetime.
In the east, in heavenly Taklha Gampo,
The honorable physician, the second victorious one, Realized the samadhi of the tenth bhumi.
In the chakras of body, speech, and mind,
The host of siddhas of the four great and eight lesser
lineages
Obtained the life-force of mahamudra
And could not help but attain enlightenment.
Skilled in magnetizing through bodhichitta,
They could not help but benefit beings.
Having obtained the profound wealth, the perfection of
the two accumulations,
They could not help but become prosperous.
Fully understanding that knowing one liberates all, They could not help but fulfill the great prophecy.
Lineage sons of these wealthy fathers
Possess the great self-existing riches of this previous
karma.
. 2.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
They are the children of snow lionesses and great garudas. By the power of their family bloodline, they are completely
mature at once.
As followers of the lineage of Kagyii siddhas,
Their meditation is naturally born through the power of
these blessings.
Bragging of their pain in many years of practice, Proud of dwelling in indolence,
Boasting of having endured such pain, Undermining others and haughty,
Keeping score with discursive thoughts of self and others In counting up the realizations of the bhumis and the
paths,
These are the qualities of the ignorant meditators in this
dark age.
We do not possess these, and though I do not have the title
of a siddha,
Nevertheless, through the excellent oral instructions of the
example lineage,
I have seen the wisdom of ultimate mahamudra.
Ground mahamudra is the view, understanding things as they are.
Path mahamudra is the experience of meditation. Frutition mahamudra is the realization of one's mind as
buddha.
I am unworthy, but my guru is good.
Though born in the dark age, I am very fortunate. Though I have little perseverance, the oral instructions are
profound.
As for ground mahamudra:
There are both things as they are and the way of confusion.
? ? ? ? VA}RA SONG ? ? ?
It does not incline toward either samsara of nirvana, And is free from the extremes of exaggeration and
denigration.
Not produced by causes, not changed by conditions, It is not spoiled by confusion
Nor exalted by realization.
It does not know either confusion or liberation.
Since no essence exists anywhere,
Its expression is completely unobstructed and manifests
everything.
Pervading all of samsara and nirvana like space,
It is the ground of all confusion and liberation,
With its self-luminous consciousness
And its alaya-vijfiana.
As for the cognitive aspect of this neutral state,
Its essence is empty and its nature is luminous.
These two are inseparable and are the quintessence of
insight.
It is space, ungraspable as a thing.
It is a spotless precious clear crystal.
It is the glow of the lamp of self-luminous mind. It is inexpressible, the experience of a mute.
It is unobscured, transparent wisdom,
The luminous dharmakaya, sugatagarbha, Primordially pure and spontaneous.
It cannot be shown through analogy by anyone, And it cannot be expressed in words.
It is the dharmadhatu, which overwhelms mind's
inspection.
Established in this to begin with,
One should cut all doubts.
When one practices meditation with the view,
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
It is like a garuda fathoming space.
There is no fear and no doubt.
The one who meditates without the view
Is like a blind man wandering the plains.
There is no reference point for where the true path is.
The one who does not meditate, but merely holds the view Is like a rich man tethered by stinginess.
He is unable to bring appropriate fruition to himself and
others.
Joining the view and meditation is the holy tradition.
As for the ignorant aspect of this neutral state,
One does not know one's nature because of the five causes. In the ocean of coemergent ignorance,
The waves of ego-fixation's confusion roll.
Cognition becomes a self, and projections become objects, And so the habitual patterns of grasping and fixation
solidify.
Thus, karma accumulates and then fully ripens.
The rim of the waterwheel of samsara turns,
But even while it turns, its essence is unstained.
Even while it appears, it is empty of reality.
Mere appearance is the vividness of the trikaya.
Unborn is the nature of birth;
That unborn is unceasing.
On the threshold of nonduality, there is nowhere to dwell. From this mind, difficult to express,
Various magical displays of samsara and nirvana arise. Recognizing these as self-liberated is the supreme view. When this is realized, everything is suchness.
When there are no obstructions or attainments, this is the
innate nature.
When conceptual mind is transcended, this is the ultimate.
. 5.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
As for path mahamudra:
Mind and the phenomenal world are mahamudra. Coemergent mind is dharmakaya.
Coemergent appearance is the light of dharmakaya. When the blessings of the glorious guru
And one's karma come together,
One realizes one's nature like meeting an old friend.
There is no point in much talk,
But the beginner needs various things.
One should abandon either welcoming or sending off
thoughts of past and future.
The instantaneous mind of nowness
Is the unfabricated innate nature.
In meditation, there should be no trace of deliberateness. One should not stray for an instant in confusion. Nonwandering, nonmeditation, nonfabrication are the
point.
With freshness, looseness, and clarity,
In the space of the three gates of liberation,
One is mindful, establishing proper watchfulness. Always keeping the mind balanced between tight and
relaxed,
One pacifies the accumulation of subtle, tangible, and
gross thoughts.
Rest in the state of natural, unfabricated mind.
The four levels of experiences arise in succession, And the sun of luminosity continually dawns.
The root of mahamudra meditation is established. Without it, one's talk of higher realization
Is like building a house without a foundation.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
However, excessive desire for this is the work of Mara. Those who persevere but have little learning
Are deceived by superficial virtues
And lead themselves and others along the way to the lower
realms.
Even the good experiences of bliss, luminosity, and
nonthought
Are the cause of samsara if one fixates on them.
When you intensify devotion in your heart, Rock meets bone in insight,
And the ultimate lineage blessing is received. Not straying into the four strayings,
Not falling into the three misunderstandings, Transcending the four joys, free from the three conditions, Realizing through the three stages of birth,
Untouched by the mind of the three great ones,
This is the self-existing nature, undefiled by experience.
Like the center of a cloudless sky,
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
rt is wisdom of nonthought beyond analogy,
Naked ordinary mind.
Not keeping to dogmatism or arrogance,
rt is clearly seen as dharmakaya.
The appearance of the six sense objects, like the moon in
water,
Shines in the state ofwisdom.
Whatever arises is the unfabricated innate state. Whatever appears is the nature of mahamudra. The phenomenal world is dharmakaya great bliss.
1\()th shamatha meditation of natural resting And vipashyana, which sees the unseeable,
. 7.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG . . .
Should not be separated but unified
In stillness, occurrence, and awareness.
Beyond abandoning discursive confusion,
Beyond applying antidotes,
There will be a time when you spontaneously reach this.
When you have achieved realization,
There is nothing other than the meditative state.
At the threshold of freedom from loss and gain,
Even meditation does not exist.
But for those beginners who are unable to dissolve the
hairline of conceptualization,
Meditation is important.
When one practices meditation, there is experience. This experience arises as the adornment of insight.
This path is divided into the four yogas: One-pointedness means recognizing the nature of mind; Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: One sees the alternation of bliss and luminosity,
One masters resting in samadhi,
And experience continuously appears as luminosity.
Simplicity means realizing the mind is without root; Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: One realizes that the arising, ceasing, and dwelling are
empty,
One is free from the ground and root of fixating on
appearance or emptiness,
And one resolves the complexity of all dharmas.
One taste means dissolving appearance and mind into each other;
Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: . 8.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SoNG? ? ?
All dharmas of samsara and nirvana are dissolved into equal taste,
Appearance and mind become like water poured into water,
And from one taste, the various wisdoms arise.
Nonmeditation means the utter exhaustion of conceptual mind;
Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages:
One is free from meditation and meditator,
The habitual patterns of primitive beliefs about reality are
gradually cleared away,
And the mother and son luminosity dissolve together. The wisdom of dharmadhatu extends throughout space.
In short, in meditation:
One-pointedness means that mind is still as long as one
wishes,
Seeing the very nature of ordinary mind.
Simplicity means the realization of groundlessness. One taste means liberating
All possible dualistic fixations through insight. Nonmeditation means transcending all sophistries of
meditation and nonmeditation, The exhaustion of habitual patterns.
In this way, from the great lords of yogins,
Naropa and Maitripa,
Down to the lord guru Padma Wangchen,
The golden garland of the Kagyiis
Reached the dharmakaya kingdom of nonmeditation, Spontaneously cleared away the darkness of the two
obscurations,
Expanded the great power of the two knowledges,
. 9.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG ? ? ?
Opened the treasury ofbenefit for the sake ofothers pervading space,
And remained in the refuge of mind free from doubt. The Kagyii lineage is known to be passed from one to
another.
It is known not by words alone, but by their meaning. Please guide even such a lowborn savage as myself, Who possesses the merest mark of your noble lineage, Quickly to the kingdom of nonmeditation.
Kind one, please utterly exhaust my conceptual mind.
The fruition mahamudra is spoken of like this:
The ground is receiving the transmission of the innate
trikaya;
The path is applying the key points of the view and
meditation;
The fruition is the actualization of the stainless trikaya. Therefore, its essence is emptiness, simplicity, dharmakaya. Its manifestation is the luminous nature of sambhogakaya. Its strength, manifold and unceasing, is nirmanakaya.
This is the sovereign of all reality.
The nature of mahamudra is unity,
The realm of dharmas free from accepting or rejecting. Possessing the beauty of unconditioned bliss,
It is the great and vast wealth ofwisdom.
It is the natural form of kindness transcending thought. Through prajfia, it does not dwell in samsara.
Through karuna, it does not dwell in nirvana.
Through effortlessness, buddha activity is spontaneously
accomplished.
The luminosity of ground and path, mother and son,
dissolve together.
. 10.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
The ground and fruition embrace one another. Buddha is discovered in one's mind.
The wish-fulfilling treasure overflows within. E rna! How wonderful and marvelous!
Since in the view of mahamudra
Analysis does not apply,
Cast mind-made knowledge far away. Since in the meditation of mahamudra There is no way of fixating on a thought, Abandon deliberate meditation.
Since in the action of mahamudra
There is no reference point for any action, Be free from the intention to act or not. Since in the fruition of mahamudra
There is no attainment to newly acquire, Cast hopes, fears, and desires far away.
This is the depth of the mind of all Kagyiis.
It is the only path on which the victorious ones and their
sons journey.
Theirs is the upaya that reverses the vicious circle of
existence
And the dharma that brings enlightenment in one life. Here is the essence of all the teachings, sutras, and tantras. May I and all sentient beings pervading space
Together attain the simultaneity of realization and
liberation,
And attain supreme mahamudra.
In order not to transgress the command seal of emptiness endowed with all the supreme aspects, the one whose knowledge is transcendent and who manifested in the form
. 11.
? . . . VAJRA SONG? ? ?
of the vajraholder, I, the subject of Padma, the Yonten Gyatso Lodro Thaye, composed this at Kiinzang Dechen Osal Ling on the left slope of the third Devikoti, Tsari-like Jewel Rock. SHUBHAM
? 12.
? Commentary by the
Third ]amgon Kongtriil Rinpoche
INTRODUCTION
The mahasiddhas ofIndia often expressed their insights in the form of songs, known as dohas, or vajra songs. This tra- dition was continued in Tibet by the masters of the Kagyii transmission. One very well-known collection of such songs is the Kagyii Gurtso, or "Ocean of Kagyii Songs. "
Buddha Shakyamuni gave countless teachings in which he described different paths. The goal of these teachings is to achieve insight into ultimate truth, which is the nature of our minds. Of all the approaches taught by the Buddha, mahamudra is considered the most excellent. This was the approach followed by the early teachers of the Kagyii tra- dition, who achieved complete realization within a single lifetime, relying exclusively on the path of mahamudra and its skillful means.
Fortunately, the early teachers did not keep their insights to themselves but expressed them in the form of songs. These songs are in fact not ordinary songs of the kind that can be written or composed. They arise neither from a par- ticular cause nor for a particular purpose. The extraordi- naryaspectofthesesongsisthattheyspontaneouslyexpress
. 13.
? ? ? ? CLOUDLESS SKY ? ? ?
inner experiences and transmit the complete meaning of mahamudra and all its aspects-view, action, and medita- tion. They deal with the ultimate teachings ! _)resented by the perfect Buddha, the teachings about ultimate truth. This is why these dohas are described as vajra dohas, because their meaning is indestructible and unchanging.
The vajra songs of the Kagyii Gurtso date back to the earlier Kagyii masters. When reciting them today, we should adjust our body, speech, and mind so as to take full advan- tage of the recitation. With regard to the body, one should wear appropriate clothing, for instance the three dharma robes ifone has taken the vows. With regard to speech, one should sing the melody with great accuracy and pronounce each word properly. Mentally, one should concentrate on every word and internalize its meaning. In this way, one should not simply recite the text but should take great care to involve one's body, speech, and mind in reading the vajra song.
Vajra songs are meant to help the practitioner overcome three types of obstacles: outer, inner (disturbances related to prana, nadi, and hindu), and secret (those that interfere with spiritual progress and meditation). The practice of ma- hamudra, the way of the Kagyiis, is based mainly on trust and surrender. By reading the vajra songs, one not only de- velops the three types oftrust-the trust ofconviction, the trust oflonging, and pure trust-but also learns to surren- der. By keeping the examples of one's teachers in mind, one achieves the inner certainty that it is possible to follow the path and, through one's practice, attain realization.
In addition, as mentioned above, each vajra song contains the entire meaning of the teachings of Buddha: emptiness, codependent origination, precious bodhichitta, and insight into the unity of emptiness and compassion; one taste, the
. 14.
? ? ? ? Commentary ? . ?
unity of samsara and nirvana; impermanence, the constant transformation of all things; and many other teachings. This means that ifone actually manages to understand and trans- plant within oneself the meaning of the song, then one is not only directing one's body, speech, and mind toward the dharma, but is also treading the path itself and giving rise to limitless benefits.
The essence of the countless teachings of Buddha is the explanation ofbuddha-nature, the luminosity that abides in the mind of every single being. As long as one does not rec- ognize one's buddha-nature, one experiences the confusion of samsara. However, realizing the potential ofbuddhahood that lies within is in itself buddhahood. Buddha's instruc- tions were basically methods to help one overcome confu- sion and recognize the true nature of mind. The teachings o f m a h a m u d r a , k n o w n as t h e " p a t h o f l i b e r a t i o n , " r e p r e s e n t the pinnacle of the Buddha's teachings.
What is meant by mahamudra? Mahamudra consists ba- sically of three aspects: ground, path, and view mahamudra. Ground mahamudra is the unity of relative truth and ulti- mate truth. It is freedom from both the two extremes of cternalism, or belief in lasting and true existence, and nihil- ism, or belief in the nonexistence of phenomena.
Path mahamudra is the union of skillful means and wis- dom. But not falling into the extremes of either nihilism or the belief in the permanence of appearances, and by not neglecting either wisdom or skillful means, one accom- plishes the two types of accumulations. These are the accu- mulation of object-related merit and the accumulation of nonreferential wisdom. In essence, the path consists in unit- rng these two accumulations.
Fruition mahamudra is freedom from the extremes of samsara and nirvana. It is based on ground mahamudra, the
. 15.
? ? ? ? ? CLOUDLESS SKY? ? ?
unity of relative and ultimate truths, and on path mahamu- dra, the unity of the two accumulations. In this state, there is no difference between the three realms of samsara and liberation or nirvana. Fruition mahamudra is the realization of the unity of dharmakaya and the form kayas.
Since mahamudra encompasses the three aspects of ground, path, and fruition, it should be evident that there is nothing that it does not accommodate. It includes every- thing, from the state of confusion concerning the nature of the path up to the realization of perfect buddahood. In other words, mahamudra is recognizing the nature of one's own mind.
The Tibetan word for mahamudra is chak gya chenpo. Chak refers to emptiness which is perfect in every respect; gya chenpo, the great expanse, refers to the all-encompass- ing wisdom inherent in emptiness. The meaning of this gloss is that in its depth and breadth, mahamudra encompasses everything. Mahamudra is the "path of liberation," the highest of all paths, the quickest and most profound way to buddhahood. He who was foretold by the Victorious One in the Samadhirajasutra and elsewhere, the glorious, holy guru Lodro Thaye, also called Karma Ngakwang Yonten Gyatso,1 composed this vajra doha having accomplished the realization of mahamudra. It is entitled "The Self-Arising Innate Song upon Acquiring a Mere Glimpse of Certainty in the View and Meditation of the Incomparable Takpo Kagyii. "
The illustrious one, Vajradhara,
Who is said to possess the eight good qualities, 2 Is seen in human form by ordinary men like us.
1. Lodro Thaye and Karma Ngakwang Yonten Gyatso: two names for the first Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche. See also Appendix 1.
2. Eightgoodqualities:See"QuestionsandAnswers,"page84.
. 16.
? ? ? ? ? Commentary ? ? ?
You are the refuge called Padma/ endowed with blessings. From the eight-petaled lotus dome4 ofmy heart.
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
Distributed in the United States by Random House, Inc. , and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd
LIBRARY OP CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Kongtrul, Jamgon, 1954-
Cioudless sky: the Mahamudra path of the Tibetan Kagyu Buddhist School/ Jamgon Kongtrul; edited and translated from Tibetan into German by
Tina Drasczyk and Alez Drasczyk; English translation by Richard Gravel.
p. em.
Includes bibiographical references.
ISBN 0-87773-694-4
ISBN 1-57062-604-9
1. Mahamudra (Tantric rite). 2. Meditation-Bka'-rgyud-pa (Sect).
I. Drasczyk, Tina. BQ7679. 6. K66 1992 294. 3'443--dc20
II. Drasczyk, Alex.
III. Tide.
Frontispiece photo: Blair Hansen BVG01
92-50119 CIP
? Dedicated to His Holiness
the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa
? Contents
Foreword ix Pre/ace xi
THE VAJRA SONG OF THE
FIRST JAMGON KONGTROL RINPOCHE 1
COMMENTARY BY THE
THIRD }AMGON KONGTROL RINPOCHE
Introduction 13 Ground Mahamudra 20 Path Mahamudra 37
Fruition Mahamudra Questions and Answers 79
Appendixes
1. ABriefBiographyofHisEminence Jamgon Kongtrii. l Rinpoche 105
2. Supplication of the Kagyii Gurus 115 Glossary 121
? vii?
71
? Foreword
During the October 1987 visit of His Eminence Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche to various Kagyii centers in Austria, a seminar was held in the mountains near Salzburg. The sub- ject of the seminar was a vajra song which originally had been sung by Lodro Thaye, the first Jamgon Kongtriil Rin- poche, as a spontaneous expression of mahamudra experi- ence. This song is part of the Kagyii Gurtso} the "Ocean of Songs of the Kagyiis. " Using the vajra song as a starting point, H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche presented both an overview of mahamudra, the heart of the Kagyii teachings, and some very practical advice for those who wish to tread upon the mahamudra path.
In view of the interest expressed by a great number of people in obtaining these instructions, we consulted H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche and decided to publish the talks in the form of a book in order to provide insight into the treasury of mahamudra teachings and their unbroken trans- mission by the Kagyii lineage. It is important to stress, how- ever, that the actual practice of mahamudra requires oral instructions from a teacher who is part ofan authentic trans-
mission lineage.
Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to
H. E. Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche for the teachings con-
? ix.
? ? ? ? Foreword ? . .
tained in this book and for his boundless activity. In addi- tion, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the preparation of this book.
By the inspiration of the Kagyii lineage, may the realiza- tion of mahamudra be speedily accomplished. May all be- ings enjoy the happiness they long for.
Tina Drasa. yk and Alex Drasa. yk
? x?
? Preface
When receivingorreadingteachingsitisimportantalways to maintain a completely pure inner attitude. In this regard, there are three errors to be avoided, which can be likened to three types of vessels.
The first error is not paying attention; this is like an up- side-down vessel, into which no liquid can be poured. The second error is not committing the meaning to memory; this is like a vessel with a hole in the bottom, which cannot retain the liquid poured into it. The third error is being distracted by conflicting emotions; this is like a vessel containing poi- son, which will contaminate the liquid.
One should strive to be free from these errors and culti- vate the pure attitude of bodhichitta, the mind of enlight- enment.
]amgon Kongtriil Rinpoche
? xi?
? The Vajra Song ofthe
First ]amgiin Kongtriil Rinpoche
The illustrious one, Vajradhara,
Who is said to possess the eight good qualities,
Is seen in human form by ordinary men like us.
You are the refuge called Padma, endowed with blessings. From the eight-petaled lotus dome of my heart,
I supplicated you not to be separate even for an instant. Though I did not have the good fortune of realization and
liberation at once,
I was blessed with just recognizing my own nature.
Therefore, concern for the eight worldly dharmas diminished,
And I clearly saw the famous luminous dharmakaya By mixing my mind with the guru's.
I discovered noflthought in the midst of discursive
thought,
And within nonconcept, wisdom dawned.
Now, with the joyous appreciation of a lineage son of the
Takpo buddha,
I am inspired to speak out.
In the west, in Uddiyana, the secret treasure ground ofthe dakinis,
. 1.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG ? ? ?
The great siddha Tilo
Opened the treasure of the three gems.
In the north, in the hermitage of Ravishing Beautiful Flowers,
The learned Mahapandita Naro
Showed the mark of a siddha, indivisible prana and mind.
In the south, in the land of herbs, the valley of Trowo, The translator, emanated from Hevajra,
Established the source of the river of all siddhas.
In the west, in the Lachi snow range,
The supreme being, Shepa Dorje, Attained the state of unity in one lifetime.
In the east, in heavenly Taklha Gampo,
The honorable physician, the second victorious one, Realized the samadhi of the tenth bhumi.
In the chakras of body, speech, and mind,
The host of siddhas of the four great and eight lesser
lineages
Obtained the life-force of mahamudra
And could not help but attain enlightenment.
Skilled in magnetizing through bodhichitta,
They could not help but benefit beings.
Having obtained the profound wealth, the perfection of
the two accumulations,
They could not help but become prosperous.
Fully understanding that knowing one liberates all, They could not help but fulfill the great prophecy.
Lineage sons of these wealthy fathers
Possess the great self-existing riches of this previous
karma.
. 2.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
They are the children of snow lionesses and great garudas. By the power of their family bloodline, they are completely
mature at once.
As followers of the lineage of Kagyii siddhas,
Their meditation is naturally born through the power of
these blessings.
Bragging of their pain in many years of practice, Proud of dwelling in indolence,
Boasting of having endured such pain, Undermining others and haughty,
Keeping score with discursive thoughts of self and others In counting up the realizations of the bhumis and the
paths,
These are the qualities of the ignorant meditators in this
dark age.
We do not possess these, and though I do not have the title
of a siddha,
Nevertheless, through the excellent oral instructions of the
example lineage,
I have seen the wisdom of ultimate mahamudra.
Ground mahamudra is the view, understanding things as they are.
Path mahamudra is the experience of meditation. Frutition mahamudra is the realization of one's mind as
buddha.
I am unworthy, but my guru is good.
Though born in the dark age, I am very fortunate. Though I have little perseverance, the oral instructions are
profound.
As for ground mahamudra:
There are both things as they are and the way of confusion.
? ? ? ? VA}RA SONG ? ? ?
It does not incline toward either samsara of nirvana, And is free from the extremes of exaggeration and
denigration.
Not produced by causes, not changed by conditions, It is not spoiled by confusion
Nor exalted by realization.
It does not know either confusion or liberation.
Since no essence exists anywhere,
Its expression is completely unobstructed and manifests
everything.
Pervading all of samsara and nirvana like space,
It is the ground of all confusion and liberation,
With its self-luminous consciousness
And its alaya-vijfiana.
As for the cognitive aspect of this neutral state,
Its essence is empty and its nature is luminous.
These two are inseparable and are the quintessence of
insight.
It is space, ungraspable as a thing.
It is a spotless precious clear crystal.
It is the glow of the lamp of self-luminous mind. It is inexpressible, the experience of a mute.
It is unobscured, transparent wisdom,
The luminous dharmakaya, sugatagarbha, Primordially pure and spontaneous.
It cannot be shown through analogy by anyone, And it cannot be expressed in words.
It is the dharmadhatu, which overwhelms mind's
inspection.
Established in this to begin with,
One should cut all doubts.
When one practices meditation with the view,
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
It is like a garuda fathoming space.
There is no fear and no doubt.
The one who meditates without the view
Is like a blind man wandering the plains.
There is no reference point for where the true path is.
The one who does not meditate, but merely holds the view Is like a rich man tethered by stinginess.
He is unable to bring appropriate fruition to himself and
others.
Joining the view and meditation is the holy tradition.
As for the ignorant aspect of this neutral state,
One does not know one's nature because of the five causes. In the ocean of coemergent ignorance,
The waves of ego-fixation's confusion roll.
Cognition becomes a self, and projections become objects, And so the habitual patterns of grasping and fixation
solidify.
Thus, karma accumulates and then fully ripens.
The rim of the waterwheel of samsara turns,
But even while it turns, its essence is unstained.
Even while it appears, it is empty of reality.
Mere appearance is the vividness of the trikaya.
Unborn is the nature of birth;
That unborn is unceasing.
On the threshold of nonduality, there is nowhere to dwell. From this mind, difficult to express,
Various magical displays of samsara and nirvana arise. Recognizing these as self-liberated is the supreme view. When this is realized, everything is suchness.
When there are no obstructions or attainments, this is the
innate nature.
When conceptual mind is transcended, this is the ultimate.
. 5.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
As for path mahamudra:
Mind and the phenomenal world are mahamudra. Coemergent mind is dharmakaya.
Coemergent appearance is the light of dharmakaya. When the blessings of the glorious guru
And one's karma come together,
One realizes one's nature like meeting an old friend.
There is no point in much talk,
But the beginner needs various things.
One should abandon either welcoming or sending off
thoughts of past and future.
The instantaneous mind of nowness
Is the unfabricated innate nature.
In meditation, there should be no trace of deliberateness. One should not stray for an instant in confusion. Nonwandering, nonmeditation, nonfabrication are the
point.
With freshness, looseness, and clarity,
In the space of the three gates of liberation,
One is mindful, establishing proper watchfulness. Always keeping the mind balanced between tight and
relaxed,
One pacifies the accumulation of subtle, tangible, and
gross thoughts.
Rest in the state of natural, unfabricated mind.
The four levels of experiences arise in succession, And the sun of luminosity continually dawns.
The root of mahamudra meditation is established. Without it, one's talk of higher realization
Is like building a house without a foundation.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
However, excessive desire for this is the work of Mara. Those who persevere but have little learning
Are deceived by superficial virtues
And lead themselves and others along the way to the lower
realms.
Even the good experiences of bliss, luminosity, and
nonthought
Are the cause of samsara if one fixates on them.
When you intensify devotion in your heart, Rock meets bone in insight,
And the ultimate lineage blessing is received. Not straying into the four strayings,
Not falling into the three misunderstandings, Transcending the four joys, free from the three conditions, Realizing through the three stages of birth,
Untouched by the mind of the three great ones,
This is the self-existing nature, undefiled by experience.
Like the center of a cloudless sky,
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
rt is wisdom of nonthought beyond analogy,
Naked ordinary mind.
Not keeping to dogmatism or arrogance,
rt is clearly seen as dharmakaya.
The appearance of the six sense objects, like the moon in
water,
Shines in the state ofwisdom.
Whatever arises is the unfabricated innate state. Whatever appears is the nature of mahamudra. The phenomenal world is dharmakaya great bliss.
1\()th shamatha meditation of natural resting And vipashyana, which sees the unseeable,
. 7.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG . . .
Should not be separated but unified
In stillness, occurrence, and awareness.
Beyond abandoning discursive confusion,
Beyond applying antidotes,
There will be a time when you spontaneously reach this.
When you have achieved realization,
There is nothing other than the meditative state.
At the threshold of freedom from loss and gain,
Even meditation does not exist.
But for those beginners who are unable to dissolve the
hairline of conceptualization,
Meditation is important.
When one practices meditation, there is experience. This experience arises as the adornment of insight.
This path is divided into the four yogas: One-pointedness means recognizing the nature of mind; Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: One sees the alternation of bliss and luminosity,
One masters resting in samadhi,
And experience continuously appears as luminosity.
Simplicity means realizing the mind is without root; Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: One realizes that the arising, ceasing, and dwelling are
empty,
One is free from the ground and root of fixating on
appearance or emptiness,
And one resolves the complexity of all dharmas.
One taste means dissolving appearance and mind into each other;
Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages: . 8.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SoNG? ? ?
All dharmas of samsara and nirvana are dissolved into equal taste,
Appearance and mind become like water poured into water,
And from one taste, the various wisdoms arise.
Nonmeditation means the utter exhaustion of conceptual mind;
Divided into the lesser, medium, and greater stages:
One is free from meditation and meditator,
The habitual patterns of primitive beliefs about reality are
gradually cleared away,
And the mother and son luminosity dissolve together. The wisdom of dharmadhatu extends throughout space.
In short, in meditation:
One-pointedness means that mind is still as long as one
wishes,
Seeing the very nature of ordinary mind.
Simplicity means the realization of groundlessness. One taste means liberating
All possible dualistic fixations through insight. Nonmeditation means transcending all sophistries of
meditation and nonmeditation, The exhaustion of habitual patterns.
In this way, from the great lords of yogins,
Naropa and Maitripa,
Down to the lord guru Padma Wangchen,
The golden garland of the Kagyiis
Reached the dharmakaya kingdom of nonmeditation, Spontaneously cleared away the darkness of the two
obscurations,
Expanded the great power of the two knowledges,
. 9.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG ? ? ?
Opened the treasury ofbenefit for the sake ofothers pervading space,
And remained in the refuge of mind free from doubt. The Kagyii lineage is known to be passed from one to
another.
It is known not by words alone, but by their meaning. Please guide even such a lowborn savage as myself, Who possesses the merest mark of your noble lineage, Quickly to the kingdom of nonmeditation.
Kind one, please utterly exhaust my conceptual mind.
The fruition mahamudra is spoken of like this:
The ground is receiving the transmission of the innate
trikaya;
The path is applying the key points of the view and
meditation;
The fruition is the actualization of the stainless trikaya. Therefore, its essence is emptiness, simplicity, dharmakaya. Its manifestation is the luminous nature of sambhogakaya. Its strength, manifold and unceasing, is nirmanakaya.
This is the sovereign of all reality.
The nature of mahamudra is unity,
The realm of dharmas free from accepting or rejecting. Possessing the beauty of unconditioned bliss,
It is the great and vast wealth ofwisdom.
It is the natural form of kindness transcending thought. Through prajfia, it does not dwell in samsara.
Through karuna, it does not dwell in nirvana.
Through effortlessness, buddha activity is spontaneously
accomplished.
The luminosity of ground and path, mother and son,
dissolve together.
. 10.
? ? ? ? VAJRA SONG? ? ?
The ground and fruition embrace one another. Buddha is discovered in one's mind.
The wish-fulfilling treasure overflows within. E rna! How wonderful and marvelous!
Since in the view of mahamudra
Analysis does not apply,
Cast mind-made knowledge far away. Since in the meditation of mahamudra There is no way of fixating on a thought, Abandon deliberate meditation.
Since in the action of mahamudra
There is no reference point for any action, Be free from the intention to act or not. Since in the fruition of mahamudra
There is no attainment to newly acquire, Cast hopes, fears, and desires far away.
This is the depth of the mind of all Kagyiis.
It is the only path on which the victorious ones and their
sons journey.
Theirs is the upaya that reverses the vicious circle of
existence
And the dharma that brings enlightenment in one life. Here is the essence of all the teachings, sutras, and tantras. May I and all sentient beings pervading space
Together attain the simultaneity of realization and
liberation,
And attain supreme mahamudra.
In order not to transgress the command seal of emptiness endowed with all the supreme aspects, the one whose knowledge is transcendent and who manifested in the form
. 11.
? . . . VAJRA SONG? ? ?
of the vajraholder, I, the subject of Padma, the Yonten Gyatso Lodro Thaye, composed this at Kiinzang Dechen Osal Ling on the left slope of the third Devikoti, Tsari-like Jewel Rock. SHUBHAM
? 12.
? Commentary by the
Third ]amgon Kongtriil Rinpoche
INTRODUCTION
The mahasiddhas ofIndia often expressed their insights in the form of songs, known as dohas, or vajra songs. This tra- dition was continued in Tibet by the masters of the Kagyii transmission. One very well-known collection of such songs is the Kagyii Gurtso, or "Ocean of Kagyii Songs. "
Buddha Shakyamuni gave countless teachings in which he described different paths. The goal of these teachings is to achieve insight into ultimate truth, which is the nature of our minds. Of all the approaches taught by the Buddha, mahamudra is considered the most excellent. This was the approach followed by the early teachers of the Kagyii tra- dition, who achieved complete realization within a single lifetime, relying exclusively on the path of mahamudra and its skillful means.
Fortunately, the early teachers did not keep their insights to themselves but expressed them in the form of songs. These songs are in fact not ordinary songs of the kind that can be written or composed. They arise neither from a par- ticular cause nor for a particular purpose. The extraordi- naryaspectofthesesongsisthattheyspontaneouslyexpress
. 13.
? ? ? ? CLOUDLESS SKY ? ? ?
inner experiences and transmit the complete meaning of mahamudra and all its aspects-view, action, and medita- tion. They deal with the ultimate teachings ! _)resented by the perfect Buddha, the teachings about ultimate truth. This is why these dohas are described as vajra dohas, because their meaning is indestructible and unchanging.
The vajra songs of the Kagyii Gurtso date back to the earlier Kagyii masters. When reciting them today, we should adjust our body, speech, and mind so as to take full advan- tage of the recitation. With regard to the body, one should wear appropriate clothing, for instance the three dharma robes ifone has taken the vows. With regard to speech, one should sing the melody with great accuracy and pronounce each word properly. Mentally, one should concentrate on every word and internalize its meaning. In this way, one should not simply recite the text but should take great care to involve one's body, speech, and mind in reading the vajra song.
Vajra songs are meant to help the practitioner overcome three types of obstacles: outer, inner (disturbances related to prana, nadi, and hindu), and secret (those that interfere with spiritual progress and meditation). The practice of ma- hamudra, the way of the Kagyiis, is based mainly on trust and surrender. By reading the vajra songs, one not only de- velops the three types oftrust-the trust ofconviction, the trust oflonging, and pure trust-but also learns to surren- der. By keeping the examples of one's teachers in mind, one achieves the inner certainty that it is possible to follow the path and, through one's practice, attain realization.
In addition, as mentioned above, each vajra song contains the entire meaning of the teachings of Buddha: emptiness, codependent origination, precious bodhichitta, and insight into the unity of emptiness and compassion; one taste, the
. 14.
? ? ? ? Commentary ? . ?
unity of samsara and nirvana; impermanence, the constant transformation of all things; and many other teachings. This means that ifone actually manages to understand and trans- plant within oneself the meaning of the song, then one is not only directing one's body, speech, and mind toward the dharma, but is also treading the path itself and giving rise to limitless benefits.
The essence of the countless teachings of Buddha is the explanation ofbuddha-nature, the luminosity that abides in the mind of every single being. As long as one does not rec- ognize one's buddha-nature, one experiences the confusion of samsara. However, realizing the potential ofbuddhahood that lies within is in itself buddhahood. Buddha's instruc- tions were basically methods to help one overcome confu- sion and recognize the true nature of mind. The teachings o f m a h a m u d r a , k n o w n as t h e " p a t h o f l i b e r a t i o n , " r e p r e s e n t the pinnacle of the Buddha's teachings.
What is meant by mahamudra? Mahamudra consists ba- sically of three aspects: ground, path, and view mahamudra. Ground mahamudra is the unity of relative truth and ulti- mate truth. It is freedom from both the two extremes of cternalism, or belief in lasting and true existence, and nihil- ism, or belief in the nonexistence of phenomena.
Path mahamudra is the union of skillful means and wis- dom. But not falling into the extremes of either nihilism or the belief in the permanence of appearances, and by not neglecting either wisdom or skillful means, one accom- plishes the two types of accumulations. These are the accu- mulation of object-related merit and the accumulation of nonreferential wisdom. In essence, the path consists in unit- rng these two accumulations.
Fruition mahamudra is freedom from the extremes of samsara and nirvana. It is based on ground mahamudra, the
. 15.
? ? ? ? ? CLOUDLESS SKY? ? ?
unity of relative and ultimate truths, and on path mahamu- dra, the unity of the two accumulations. In this state, there is no difference between the three realms of samsara and liberation or nirvana. Fruition mahamudra is the realization of the unity of dharmakaya and the form kayas.
Since mahamudra encompasses the three aspects of ground, path, and fruition, it should be evident that there is nothing that it does not accommodate. It includes every- thing, from the state of confusion concerning the nature of the path up to the realization of perfect buddahood. In other words, mahamudra is recognizing the nature of one's own mind.
The Tibetan word for mahamudra is chak gya chenpo. Chak refers to emptiness which is perfect in every respect; gya chenpo, the great expanse, refers to the all-encompass- ing wisdom inherent in emptiness. The meaning of this gloss is that in its depth and breadth, mahamudra encompasses everything. Mahamudra is the "path of liberation," the highest of all paths, the quickest and most profound way to buddhahood. He who was foretold by the Victorious One in the Samadhirajasutra and elsewhere, the glorious, holy guru Lodro Thaye, also called Karma Ngakwang Yonten Gyatso,1 composed this vajra doha having accomplished the realization of mahamudra. It is entitled "The Self-Arising Innate Song upon Acquiring a Mere Glimpse of Certainty in the View and Meditation of the Incomparable Takpo Kagyii. "
The illustrious one, Vajradhara,
Who is said to possess the eight good qualities, 2 Is seen in human form by ordinary men like us.
1. Lodro Thaye and Karma Ngakwang Yonten Gyatso: two names for the first Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche. See also Appendix 1.
2. Eightgoodqualities:See"QuestionsandAnswers,"page84.
. 16.
? ? ? ? ? Commentary ? ? ?
You are the refuge called Padma/ endowed with blessings. From the eight-petaled lotus dome4 ofmy heart.
